Follower.



No. 153L365. Patented Aug. 22, I899.

J. K. GAINES.

FOLLOWEB.

(Application filed Dec. 80, 1898.) (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l,

Patented Aug. 22', I899. J. K. GAl-NES.

F 0 L L 0 W E R (App1icatioix flied Dec. 30, 1898.)

2 Sheetg-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

MM mo oey 9, QJdQ W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH K. GAINES, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FOLLOWER.

sPEcfFIcATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 631,365, dated August 22, 1899.

Application filed December 80, 1898. Serial No. 700,758. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, .Tosnrn K. GAINES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Followers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is an improvement in followers for boots and shoes; and it consists in the novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, reference being had to accompanying drawings which illustrate one form in which I have contemplated embodying my invention, and said invention is fully disclosedin the following description and claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved follower. Fig. 2 represents a central vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a bottom view, partly in section. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the position occupied by the follower when it is being inserted into a shoe, the shoe being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 6 is a side view, partly in section, showing a slight modification of my invention.

In the manufacture of boots and shoes it is necessary to have followers made especially to fit shoes of every length and width and for every style made in every length and width. This necessitates 'a very large expenditure for the followers, which are usually made of wood, and a change in the style makes it necessary to prepare new followers for each size and width in the new style or styles. 4 v I The object of my invention is to provide a follower which will fit shoes of greatly varying lengths and of any width and style in such lengths, thus making it necessary to have only a fraction of the followers now required to answer the same purpose. For instance, accordingto my invention from three to six sizes of my improved followers at the most will accommodate all lengths of shoes or boots to be manufactured, and any one of these followers will answer for all the widths and styles of any of the sizes to which it is adapted, and the construction is also such that the followers can be used with shoes of either straight or so-called crooked lasts.

In carrying out my invention I make my follower of two parts, a front or a toe portion and a rear or heel portion, said parts being connected by a retaining device allowing vertical and lateral and longitudinal movements between the parts and separated by a spring, which normally holds the parts separated. The toe portion is divided longitudinally, and the two halves are united adjacent to the instep portion and are held normally separated by an independent spring construction.

In the form of my follower illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, A represents the heel portion and B B the two parts of the longitudinally-divided toe portion, all of the parts being preferably constructed of wood, although other material may be used, if found desirable. The adjacent vertical faces of the toe parts B B are provided each with longitudinal grooves 12 by sawing or otherwise, and a spring 0, formed, preferably, of a single piece of spring-wire, is interposed between the two parts B B and secured in place by having portions 0 of the spring pressed into the grooves 11 b. The two parts B B are con- 'nected adjacent to the instep portion in this instance by boring a hole I) through the two parts and inserting'a spiral spring b therein, the ends b of the spring being bent laterally and secured in notches or recesses formed in the faces of the toe-pieces to receive them.

The heel part A is provided at its forward end with a longitudinally-disposed cylindrical recess a, at the inner end of which is another recess ct, which is preferably of less diameter than the recess a, or the recess a may a. 'A coiled spring D is inserted in the recess a and extends some distance beyond the recess, being provided at its outer end with a widened portion, forming a cross-bar d, which engages the rear ends of the toe-pieces B B and holds the heel and toe portions separated a considerable distance. This spring D is entirely independentof the laterally-acting spring 0, as will readily be seen. In order to hold the heel and toe parts together, I employ a retaining device, which in this inbe simply a continuation of the main recess stance consists of a piece of spring-wire bent into the form of a loop E and havingits ends a e bent laterally. The loop E is inserted longitudinally through the spring D into the inner recess a in rear of recess a, and a vertical screw or pin c is passed up through the bottom of the heel portion A and through the loop E, as shown in Fig. 2. The ends 0 e of the retaining device are inserted in horizontal recesses in the toe-pieces B B (see Fig. 3) and form a horizontal pivotal connection with the toe portion, while the vertical screw 6 forms a vertical pivotal connection with the heel portion. It will thus be seen that the heel portion can be raised and lowered with respect to the toe portion and also moved laterally with respect thereto. In order to allow suflicient lateral movement of the heel portion to accommodate so-called crooked lasts and to facilitate inserting the follower into shoes, the vertical walls of the toe parts B B are provided each with a recess b to allow the retaining device E more lateral movement than would otherwise be permitted.

The toe portion is preferably cut out below the instep portion to form a recess B and the upper part of the heel portion is cut out, as at A, to allow the heel portion to be bent upward considerably, as shown in Fig. 5, when the follower is inserted in a shoe, making the insertion and removal of the follower extremely easy.

IVhen placed in the shoe, it will be seen that the spring 0 will cause the two parts of the toe portion B B to separate and accommodate themselves to the width and style of the toe portion of the shoe, while the independent longitudinal spring D will force the toe portion forward and the heel portion backward, so as to fully fill out the shoe and hold it distended. The spring b not only serves to hold the toe-pieces together at the instep, but provides a certain amount of expansion there, so that the follower will properly fill out the instep of the shoe. When the follower is removed from the shoe, the retaining device holds the toe and heel portions together, and the device can be handled as easily as a onepiece last.

In Fig, 6 I have shown a slight modification of my invention, in which the heel p'ortion F, spring G, and retaining device H are constructed exactly as heretofore described, but the toe portion is made in a slightly difierent manner. In this modified construction the two parts I I of the longitudinally-divided toe portion are out 01f below the instep and are covered by a shell K,which may be formed of sheet metal or papier-mach, but is preferably formed of several thicknesses of canvas and an outer covering of felt, glued together forming a stiff and rigid shell. This shell is secured to the toe parts I I by gluing, nailing, or otherwise, and its upper part is shaped to form the instep portion of the follower. The shell is slit or divided longitudinally from the end of the toe portion to nearly the top of the instep, as shown at 7:, where the slit stops, leaving the shell integral over the top of the instep, thus holding the two parts of the toe portion together, but permitting their lateral movement. A spring L exactly similar to the spring 0 before described holds the toe-blocks I I separated, and the operation of this form of follower is the same as that of the form first described.

That I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A follower comprising among its members, a longitudinally-divided toe portion, a separate heel portion, a springconstruction interposed between the parts of the divided toe portion, an independent spring interposed between the toe portion and the heel portion, and a retaining device for limiting the longitudinal movement of the heel and toe portions away from each other and connecting said heel and toe portions for joint use, substantially as described.

2. A follower comprising among its members a longitudinally-divided toe portion, a separate heel portion, a spring construction interposed between the parts of the divided toe portion, an independent spring interposed between the heel and toe portions, and a retaining device limiting the longitudinalmovement of the heel and toe portions away from each other, and connecting said heel and toe portions, said retaining device being secured to the heel and toe portions by connections permitting the heel portion to move vertically with respect to the toe portion, substantially as described.

3. A follower comprising among its mem bers, a longitudinally-divided toe portion, a separate heel portion, a spring construction interposed between the parts of the divided toe portion, an independent springinterposed between the heel and toe portions and a retaining device connected to the divided toe portion by horizontal pivotal connections and movably connected to the heel portion, for limiting the longitudinal movement of the heel and toe portions away from each other, and permitting the vertical movement of the heel portion with respect to the toe portion, substantially as described.

4. A follower comprising among its members a longitudinally-divided toe portion, a separate heel portion, a spring construction interposed between the parts of the divided toe portion, an independent springinterposed between the heel and toe portions and a retaining device connected to the divided toe portion by horizontal pivotal connections, and to the heel portion by a connection permitting the lateral movement of the heel portion with respect to the toe portion, substantially as described.

5. A follower comprising among its members a longitudinally-divided toe portion, a separate heel portion, a spring construction interposed between the parts ofthe divided toe portion, an independent spring interposed between the heel and toe portions, and a retaining device for limiting the longitudi nal movement of said heel and toe portions away from each other, movably secured to the heel portion and having a pair of forwardly-extending arms provided with laterally-bent horizontal portions pivotally engaging the parts of the divided toe portion whereby the heel portion can be moved vertically with respect to the toe portion, substantially as described.

6. A follower comprising among its members, a longitudinally-divided toe portion, an elastic connection between the parts of said toe portion adjacent to the instep portion thereof, a spring constructioninterposed between said parts, below the plane of the instep portion, a separate heel portion, an independent spring interposed between the heel aud toe portions and a retaining device connecting said heel and toe portions but permitting them to move toward each other and vertically and laterally with respect to each other, substantially as described.

7. A follower comprising among its mem* bers, a longitudinally-divided toe portion, a spring construction interposed between the parts of said divided toe portion, a separate heel portion provided with a horizontal cylindrical recess and an inner recess in rear thereof, a spring in said cylindrical recess having its forward end engaging the parts of the divided toe portion, a retaining device consisting of a loop having its rear end lying in said inner recess, and its forwardly-ex tending arms connected to the parts of the divided toe portion, and a pin passing through said inner recess and en gaging said loop, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH K. GAINES.

\Vitnesses:

HOWARD W. GAINES, L. P. WHITAKER. 

